However, he is confident everyone who features against Gloucester on Friday evening will be ready to deliver a performance.

“All I hope is we get everyone on the same page, which I think we will do, and I think they already are, and if we get the emotional level right, I think we can give Gloucester a really good run for their money,” said Bakewell.

“The last time I spoke to you guys, we were in a position where no one knew if they were staying or leaving, and no one had made decisions in regard to next year.

“Since that point, people have now made decisions that they are leaving the club, people have now been told that they are not wanted. So that group of people, their motivation is maybe slightly different to what it was before.

“And that is the challenge of being in this environment, which is no disrespect to anyone, it’s just fact. It’s fact that, where we are in the table lends us to players being poached by other clubs, and also a situation where – with Pat coming in next year – there are players who won’t be here.

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“I think we have to deal with that as a collective and bring the boys together, along the lines of ‘we’re as one, and we have to fight as one to achieve something as a group’.

“And irrespective of whether people are here next year or not, they’re still a massive part of that achievement, so that’s where the motivation comes in – looking at what they’re achieving at Bristol and giving their best for Bristol.

“If they weren’t giving their best, I think we’d recognise that and they wouldn’t be playing.”

Bristol are seven points adrift of eleventh-placed Worcester with five games – three of them against the Premiership’s top three – to play.

But Bakewell said: “As I said eight or so weeks ago, we’re not going to give up, we’re going to keep fighting till the end, we intend to win the battle.

“I think all the boys are on that page. Beyond that, they may have slightly different motivations now, but that’s just the reality of professional sport. As far as I’m concerned, and as far as the staff is concerned, nothing changes.”